Suds In The Bucket
by TutorGirl15
Summary: Based on the Sara Evans song. TROYELLA


**A/N: Sorry for the wait, I've had major writer's block  
Disclaimer: I Own Nothing**

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, there was a quiet suburb. Everyone knew everyone. Among these people were the Montez's. The Montez's consisted of Will, Maria, and their daughter Gabriella. Gabriella grew up in the suburb where their neighbours watched Gabriella grow from the cute little girl with pigtails to a young lady. She attended East High and had a steady boyfriend by the name of Troy Bolton. When she had begun dating him, she had to get the seal of approval the rest of the neighbourhood.

_She was in the backyard, say it was a little past nine  
When her prince pulled up, a white pickup truck  
Her folks should of seen it comin' it was only just a matter of time  
Plenty old enough, and you can't stop love  
_  
Gabriella grabbed the crisp white sheet and hung it on the clothes line. Even though they had a dryer, her mother insisted that it was too nice of a day to use the dryer when they could hang the laundry outside. She grabbed a clothes pin and clipped it in place when she heard a rumbling behind her. Pulling up in the drive was a blue pick-up truck. The driver stepped out of the truck and approached her.  
"Hey, you," she grinned. The blue-eyed boy smiled back, "Hey." Troy glanced at the linens hanging on the line and turned to her. "You want to get out of here?" he asked. Gabriella bit her lip looking towards her house. Her parents were out with the Wilkinson's for coffee and wouldn't be back for awhile. "Sure," she agreed, running to get her stuff from the house.

_She stuck a note on the screen door "Sorry but I got to go"  
That was all she wrote, her mama's heart was broke  
That was all she wrote, so the story goes  
Now her daddy's in the kitchen starin' out the window, scratchin' and a rackin' his brains  
How could 18 years just up'n and walk away?  
Our little pony-tail girl grown up to be a woman  
Now she's gone in the blink of an eye  
She left the suds in the bucket and the clothes hangin' out on the line  
_  
Will and Maria came back in the evening to find the house in darkness. "Gabriella?" Will called to the empty home. Will turned around to his wife's gasp. In her hand was a note with Gabriella's handwriting on it.  
_ Sorry, but I got to go  
Love Gabi  
_ Will stood by the window scratching his head to where his daughter may be. Maria sat at the kitchen table in tears, note still in her trembling hands. She ran over to the phone and dialled her daughter's cell number. To her relief someone picked up.  
"Hello," Gabriella answered. Maria sighed in relief.  
"Hi, honey, where are you?" she asked. "Um, I'm not exactly sure yet, but I'm fine I'm with Troy, and I'm safe..." the line crackled. The reception was horrible and Maria was losing contact with Gabriella. "Mom?..M.." the line went dead.

_Now don't you wonder what the preacher's gonna preach about sunday mornin' Nothing quite like this has happened here before  
Well he must have been a looker, a smooth talkin' son of a gun  
For such a grounded girl to just up and run  
Course you can't fence time, and you can't stop love_

The next day Will and Maria went to church like they did every Sunday. When they walked in the whole congregation fell silent. Looks like the word of Gabriella's leaving town with her boyfriend got around. The couple sat in the pew, awkward whispers flew around the room. Why would such a grounded girl just up and leave? When the service was over people came to talk to the couple, not sure of what to say.

_Now all the beauties in the beauty shop gossip goin' nonstop sippin on pink lemonade  
How could 18 years just up'n and walk away?  
Our little pony-tail girl grown up to be a woman  
Now she's gone in the blink of an eye  
She left the suds in the bucket and the clothes hangin' out on the line_

The next morning in the hair salon The Flop Shop, gossip flew from the lady's lips that were in there. "I heard that boy got her pregnant," Mrs. Peerfect gossiped. "No," Mrs. Tattles argued, "I heard he was involved in some sort of cult." Many had stories of why Gabriella had left town, one more outrageous than the next, but none knew the true story; she had left because she loved him. "I heard that he beat her and forced her to go with her," The owner, Miss Macie said as she gave the older ladies pink lemonade.

_She's got her pretty little bare feet hangin' out the window And they're headin up to Vegas tonight  
How could 18 years just up'n walk away?  
Our little pony-tail girl grown up to be a woman  
Now she's gone in the blink of an eye  
She left the suds in the bucket and the clothes hangin' out on the line  
She left the suds in the bucket and the clothes hangin' out on the line_

Troy and Gabriella lay in the back of his beat-up truck. They had been driving for who knows how long and were somewhere in Arizona. They lay there Gabriella in his arms, her shoes long gone and were sitting in the cab of the truck, just gazing up in the stars. "Marry me," he whispered in her ear. She sat up, "what?" she asked. He sat up putting his arms around her, "Marry me, come on I'm 19 and you just turned 18 last month, we're almost in Nevada, and I love you. When I close my eyes and dream, all I dream is you, when my hopes and dreams come true, it's you I want standing next to me, not to mention you are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. I could love you forever, so why can't forever start today?" he explained. She looked over at him and bit her lip. She smiled and kissed his lips, "yes."

_She was in the backyard, say it was a little past nine  
When her prince pulled up, a white pick up truck  
Plenty old enough, and you can't stop love  
No you can't fence time, and you can't stop love---_

Eighteen years later, a girl by the name of Amanda Bolton stood outside hanging the laundry on the line. She turned around to see a black Camaro pull up at the curb. Gabriella Bolton stood at the window remembering that day eighteen years ago.

**Please Review  
-Kathryn**


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